Italian Gothic Horror Films (1980-1989)

by Roberto Curti

  maison du cauchemar (France), La casa fan-

  Then Massaccesi stepped in. As with many other

  tasma (Spain).

  Filmirage productions, shooting took place in

  New England. When he finds out that his

  the United States—as Massaccesi explained,

  little daughter Henrietta has killed the family cat,

  filming abroad was far less expensive than in

  Sam Baker punishes her severely, but soon he and

  Italy—and on the cheap: Lenzi claimed the

  his wife are horribly murdered. Boston, twenty

  movie cost one billion lire. The crew was mini-

  years later: Paul and his girlfriend Martha receive

  mal: Lenzi’s wife Olga Pehar acted as script girl,

  a strange radio call which leads them to the de-

  and Massaccesi took on as director of photog-

  serted house where Henrietta’s family once lived.

  raphy during the last three days of filming in

  There, they make acquaintance with a group of

  Boston, after the titular d.o.p. Franco Delli Colli

  radio amateurs who are camping nearby. Weird

  had returned to Italy. According to the director,

  things occur: the visitors are terrorized by the

  “it was almost impossible to shoot under those

  ghastly apparitions of Henrietta and her evil-

  conditions, the budget was too small.” The cast

  looking clown doll, and one of them meets a hor-

  was an ensemble of unknown faces, except for

  rible death. However, the police believe the killer

  Lara Wendel (who would soon appear in

  is a crazed man named Valkos. While their

  another Filmirage flick, Killing Birds—Raptors)

  friends stay at the house, Paul and Martha leave

  and Donald O’Brien. Mary Sellers was a recur-

  6 1988: La casa 3

  Italian fotobusta for Umberto Lenzi’s La casa 3—Ghosthouse (1988).

  ring presence in the company’s productions,

  paura; the eerie lullaby which can be heard in

  such as Deliria and Eleven Days, Eleven Nights.

  the haunted house when the girl shows up (and

  The screenplay—credited to the elusive

  which hides a message if played backwards)

  “Cinthia McGavin” but written solely by the di-

  hints both at the typical giallo lullabies and at

  rector2—is a hodgepodge of ideas, filtered

  the “Satanic panic” around back- masking in the

  through Lenzi’s own vision. “Terror, as far as I

  early 980s; the mansion where the story takes

  am concerned, stems exactly from the attach-

  place recalls both The Amityville Horror and The

  ment to reality,” he observed about his concept

  Evil Dead (see the scenes in the basement); the

  of the genre, while recalling the genesis of Ghost-

  bit where a girl is cut in half by some sort of guil-

  house. “The basic idea started from the docu-

  lotine window (incongruously placed inside a

  mented existence of paranormal activities so

  room) comes from Superstition (98, James W.

  that particularly sensitive people can have pre-

  Robertson); the final appearance of Death as a

  monitions of gruesome events that perhaps are

  hooded, maggot- infested skeleton is a cheap

  taking place in the opposite part of the world.

  recreation of the climax in Inferno. There are

  The strength of my film is that the premonition

  also nods to Fulci’s L’aldilà and Quella villa ac-

  was not made by a man, but by a radio. So you

  canto al cimitero, from the scene where an un-

  had a mechanical device which caught in the

  fortunate guy falls into a pit of acid to the un-

  airwaves the cry for help of a person who was

  settling moment where Lara Wendel’s character

  about to be killed.”3

  notices the evil doll in a shop’s window; finally,

  If the idea of a message intercepted through

  the climax set in a cemetery’s crypt, where the

  airwaves seems like an updating of a classic

  young hero exhumes the still- preserved body of

  Richard Matheson story, Long Distance Call,

  Henrietta, buried with her doll by her side,

  the list of “homages” draws from varied filmic

  and sets them on fire, is a poor man’s riff on the

  sources. The ghost of Henrietta, complete with

  ending of Paura nella città dei morti viventi. The

  a scary clown doll, comes from Operazione

  few interesting ideas, such as a scene where a

  1988: La casa 4

  7

  haunted room is filled with flying dolls and pil-

  tanari’s score, blaming the film’s “great confusion

  low feathers—Lenzi’s horror reimagining of a

  and lack of accuracy.”4 But it reportedly proved

  famous moment in Zéro de conduite (933, Jean

  a solid box- office success, and was sold well

  Vigo), perhaps?—are ruined by bottom- of-the-

  abroad, including France, Jana and Spain. Mas-

  barrel special effects.

  saccesi soon set to work on La Casa 4. On his

  The direction does not improve upon the

  part, Lenzi directed another movie for Filmirage,

  scarce originality and minimal budget. Lenzi

  the thriller Paura nel buio—Hitcher in the Dark

  doesn’t have Fulci’s visionary talent, and for

  (989).

  most of its running time he sticks to the movie’s

  horror imagery- by-numbers—arms breaking

  Notes

  through walls, dead bodies behind doors, faucets

  1. Manlio Gomarasca, Umberto Lenzi (Milan: Nocturno

  dripping blood—with a stolid lack of imagina-

  Libri, 200), 26.

  tion. Overall, it is the prone sticking to 980s

  2. Palmerini and Mistretta, Spaghetti Nightmares, 98.

  U.S. body count horror that is most grating:

  3. Gomarasca, Umberto Lenzi, 2.

  once Italian Gothic was a matter of ladies in

  4. G. Gs. [Giovanna Grassi], “Horror italiano,” Corriere

  their nightgowns wandering through dark cor-

  della Sera, August 20, 988.

  5. According to the official Spanish ministerial data, it

  ridors; in Lenzi’s film, it has become all about

  was seen by 8,963 spectators and grossed an amount cor-

  dumb teenagers with denim jackets and sneak-

  responding to 3,460 Euro. (http:// infoicaa. mecd. es/

  ers. It is not quite the same.

  CatalogoICAA/ Peliculas/ Detalle?Pelicula= 9668)

  Eventually, though, Ghosthouse found its

  way to the home market as well. Distributor

  La casa 4 (Witchcraft) (Witchery)

  Achille Manzotti picked it up and retitled it La

  D: Martin Newlin [Fabrizio Laurenti]. S

  Casa 3, a title that artfully referred to The Evil

  and SC: Daniele Stroppa; DOP: Gianlorenzo

  Dead and Evil Dead II, released in Italy respec-

  Battaglia (Eastmancolor Kodak, Telecolor); M:

  tively as La Casa (House) and La Casa 2. The

  Carlo Maria Cordio (Ed. Idra Music); E:

  reference to a “house” in the title was common

  Rosanna Landi; Casting: Paul
Werner [Werner

  to many horror movies released over the course

  Pochath]; ArtD: Alex Colby [Massimo Antonello

  of the decade, starting with Superstition, which

  Geleng]; MU: Maurizio Trani; AD: Allen Don-

  came out as La casa di Mary. Even Massaccesi’s

  ner; STC: Brian Ricci; C: John Wynn; AC: Camillo

  Buio Omega (979) was re- released as In quella

  Sabatini; SO: Keith Young; SP: Peter Bates; AE:

  casa Buio omega, to jump on the bandwagon.

  David Shaw; SS: Laura Curreli; G: Paolo Tiberti,

  This led to a series of sometimes bizarre reti-

  Franco Micheli; El: Marcello Montarsi, Ben

  tlings: for instance, Steve Miner’s House (98)

  Miller; PrM: Julie Duncan; Stunts: John Mason;

  came out as Chi è sepolto in quella casa? (Who

  Mix: Michael Barry. Cast: David Hasselhoff

  is Buried in That House?) and Harley Cokeliss’

  (Gary), Linda Blair (Jane Brooks), Catherine

  Dream Demon was retitled La casa al n° 13 in

  Hickland (Linda Sullivan), Annie Ross (Rose

  Horror Street.

  Brooks), Hildegarde Knef (Lady in Black), Leslie

  Lenzi was initially credited as “Humphrey

  Cumming (Leslie), Bob [Robert] Champagne

  Humbert,” an Anglicized pseudonym which

  (Freddie Brooks), Rick Farnsworth (Jerry Gior-

  echoed the name of the narrator (Humbert

  dano), Michael Manchester (Tommy Brooks),

  Humbert) in Vladimir Nabokov’s novel Lolita.

  Frank Cammarata (Tony Giordano), Victoria

  It seemed one of Filmirage’s typical cheap mar-

  Biggers (Secretary), Ely Coughlin (Satan), Kara

  keting tricks (which even Fulci was not spared,

  Lynch (Cindy), James [Jamie] Hanes (Jon),

  when Le porte del silenzio was credited abroad

  Richard Ladenburg (Sheriff ), George Stevens

  to “Henry Simon Kittay”), and according to the

  (Fisherman). PROD: Aristide Massaccesi for

  director he sued the producers and had his name

  Filmirage Production Group (Rome); PS: Annie

  restored: in the Italian prints, the credits carry

  Jurgielewicz; PSe: Sophie Ali; PAcc: Walter Kelly.

  his real name. However, “Humphrey Humbert”

  Country: Italy. Filmed in Scituate and Cohasset,

  was an a.k.a. Lenzi had used earlier in his career,

  Massachusetts. Running time: 9 minutes (m.

  for instance on I tre sergenti del Bengala (964),

  20). Visa n. 8467 (.26.988); Rating: all au-

  so there is a chance he was aware of the stunt

  diences. Release dates: 2..988 (West Germany),

  from the beginning.

  7..989 (Japan), 7.6.989 (USA—Home video),

  Critics were severe: the Corriere della Sera

  8.6.989 (Italy); Distribution: Artisti Associati/

  praised only the photography and Piero Mon-

  Gruppo Berna. Domestic gross: ,283,94,000 lire.

  8 1988: La casa 4

  Also known as: Ghosthouse 2 (UK); Encuentro

  Wilder’s Fedora, which also featured a mysteri-

  con la maldad (Spain); Démoniaque présence

  ous retired actress. The cast also included David

  (France); Hexenbrut (West Germany).

  Hasselhoff (still very popular in Italy after the

  A photographer, Gary, and his girlfriend

  TV series Knight Rider) and Linda Blair, who

  Leslie arrive at an isolated house on an isle near

  ends up again playing a possessed soul. For the

  the coast of Massachusetts to conduct research on

  main female role Massaccesi cast Leslie Cum-

  a past legend. Supposedly, centuries earlier, a

  mins, on Lattanzi’s suggestion: she had been in

  pregnant witch took refuge there from her perse-

  Killing Birds and had a brief liaison with the di-

  cutors and then committed suicide by throwing

  rector. Massaccesi would regret the choice, given

  herself out of a window. In recent times the place

  Cummins’ utter lack of acting skills.

  was inhabited only by a retired actress. Other

  In the end, Lattanzi gave up directing the

  people arrive on the island: a pregnant young

  film—or Massaccesi decided he was unfit for the

  woman, Jane Brooks, who is looking to buy the

  movie: Lattanzi’s version on why he left the proj-

  house and convert it into a hotel, accompanied

  ect is rather vague and unconvincing. The pro-

  by her parents and her little brother Tommy; a

  ducer’s old acquaintance Luigi Cozzi came

  real estate agent, Jerry, and an architect, Linda.

  aboard, only to resign after just two weeks of

  Soon the group find themselves stranded on the

  pre- production work: “The story didn’t attract

  island, after a mysterious lady in black has dis-

  me, I found it too predictable and banal. Mas-

  patched the boatman who brought them there.

  saccesi wanted me to make a film which I didn’t

  The guests start dying in horrible ways, and Leslie

  feel like mine, and without any special reason I

  finds out that the witch is still out for vengeance…

  decided to give up directing a horror movie

  The good commercial results of La casa 3

  aimed at the small screen.”4 Cozzi went on to

  convinced Aristide Massaccesi and distributor

  make his own project, Paganini Horror, and

  Achille Manzotti to follow along the same route,

  Massaccesi replaced him at the eleventh hour

  which resulted in Filmirage putting in the

  with Fabrizio Laurenti, a debuting director who

  pipeline another sequel in name only to La casa.

  had made an impressive 30-minute vampire film

  Umberto Lenzi had already submitted to the

  shot in Super8, The Immigrant (98), about a

  producers an idea for La casa 4, “a story in the

  Transylvanian immigrant in New York who

  vein of Psycho, about a woman who is released

  wakes up 80 years later in the East Side, thirsty

  from jail and goes to live in a villa where years

  for blood, which leads to a series of grotesque

  earlier bloody murders were committed, but

  vicissitudes. The Immigrant had won the “Gab-

  they didn’t even take it into consideration. They

  biano d’oro” prize at the 987 Bellaria Film Fes-

  told me … that these films made no money,

  tival, and gathered favorable reviews in the

  and that they had no intention whatsoever of

  press.

  making a sequel. In fact, they not only made La

  La casa 4 tries hard to pose as an American

  casa 4, but also La casa 5!”

  horror movie. The vengeful witch and the ref-

  Even though the only credited scriptwriter

  erences to the Massachusetts witch hunts recall

  is Daniele Stroppa, Claudio Lattanzi claimed he

  among other things James W. Robertson’s Su-

  had a part in concocting the scenario. “Daniele

  perstition, the character of the “lady in black” is

  wrote all the screenplay, but I remember going

  borrowed from Dan Curtis’ Burnt Offerings

  to h
is place in the evening, to write the story to-

  (976), the creative graphic deaths and mutila-

  gether, because I had to direct it.”2 It was Lattanzi

  tions take place in an extradimensional hell just

  who suggested Massaccesi to aim high for the

  like in Hellraiser, and the final bit of possession

  cast: “I kept telling Aristide: ‘Come on, now that

  is the price to be paid to The Exorcist. But

  you have made a leap in quality and you are un-

  Stroppa’s script adds even more fuel to the fire.

  dergoing a felicitous period, why don’t we cast

  The theme of the victims being symbolically

  Bette Davis for the role of the witch?’ We talked

  punished for the deadly sins they represent re-

  again a few days later, and he told me: ‘You

  calls La plus longue nuit du diable (97, Jean

  know, maybe I really have a chance to have Bette

  Brismée), the notion that the hotel is built on

  Davis, because I know people who know her …

  three doors of hell (respectively greed, luxury

  what a shot it would be!’ and I: ‘Well, if Bette

  and ire) draws from The Sentinel and L’aldilà,

  Davis is in it, I’m making the movie for free!’”3

  and the witch’s look was Lattanzi’s homage to

  Eventually the producer had to settle with Hilde-

  Inferno: “I liked the idea of showing the witch

  garde Knef, possibly because of her role in Billy

  Argento- style … with this long black cloak,

  1988: Killing

  9

  while Daniele thought it was bullshit!.”6 Just like

  would recycle it again for La Casa 5 (990)—La

  Argento did in Opera, incidentally, the leading

  casa 4 looks more polished than other Filmirage

  man is dispatched in the epilogue.

  productions. Its appearance misled the film

  The very insistence on Catholic guilt makes

  critic in the Corriere della Sera, who took it for

  for a rather morbid subtext. “It is a childish su-

  a genuine U.S. production and (perhaps exactly

  perstition of the human spirit that virginity is a

  because of this) reviewed it rather favorably, rec-

  virtue and not the barrier that separates igno-

  ommending it to genre fans “who will enjoy …

  rance from knowledge,” a line of dialogue states

  the usual American- style doggerel on family

  near the beginning, and Leslie’s virginity—

  neuroses.”7 The film played theatrically in Italy

  which turns her into the “final girl” as the rules